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| > Josh Ritter Fansite > June 2005 Shows > The "Southpaw" Show |
| Josh Ritter, Bonnaroo, 2005 Bonnaroo Music Festival, Southpaw Brooklyn, Josh Ritter electric, Doug Rice, new songsThin Blue Flame, Idaho, Wolves |
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| THE SHOW: On Thursday, June 2nd, 2005 Josh Ritter and the band played a sold out, headline show at Brooklyn's "Southpaw". It was the first full show they've performed in months and months, since emerging from the studio, where they were recording the much-anticipated followup album to HELLO STARLING. THE BIG DEAL: I believe this show to be a milestone of sorts -- a turning point in the growing legend of Josh Ritter. From the look (no trademark suit or Converse 'chucks') to the sound (new songs and an electric guitar), this night was historic. Now, the overall performance, the humor, the songwriting, the band, and most of the songs were classic Josh. But there WAS something fresh and different to this show. And it wasn't just the electric thing (this Southpaw show was - and will be remembered as - the first time Josh ever played electric guitar onstage; see the "featured photo"). There was more to this night... |
| 1. Idaho (new) 2. The Bad Actress 3. Snow is Gone 4. Roll On 5. You Don't Make it Easy, Babe 6. Thin Blue Flame (new) 7. Me and Jiggs 8. Man Burning 9. Anne 10. Baby That's Not All (Josh solo) 11. The Other Side 12. Wolves (new) 13. Golden Age of Radio (slow version > fast) 14. Kathleen Encore: You've Got the Moon (Josh solo) |
| THE SETLIST: |
| A Review of a Historic Night |
| THE NEW SONGS: Josh opened the show with a brand new song, a song called "Idaho." This is mostly a vocal performance, with Josh adding a light, but thumping bass on acoustic guitar. It 's a beautiful - even daring - song that showcases how good Josh's voice has become and continues to evolve -- and the lyrics are great. Consider: "Wolves oh wolves oh can't you see? / Ain't no wolf can sing like me / And if it could then I suppose / That he belongs in Idaho." Halfway through the show, Josh and the band tackled "Thin Blue Flame" - which is sure to be the most talked about new song once it is heard by people in concert. It is a 10 minute long powerhouse of a song that starts as an extremely pretty ballad and builds and builds into an almost deafening wall of sound, made up of Josh on his electric, Dave working every drum in front of him, Sam absolutely pounding the piano keys, and Zack strumming - yes, strumming - his bass guitar. It relents, then builds and attacks again - always unexpectedly despite the ominous, tell-tale crescendo. And the lyrics had people at the show recoiling in awe at their mention and asking about the song after the concert. That amazing Josh Ritter imagery is really on display here, with gems like, "Trees were a fist shaking themselves at the clouds," and "The lake was a diamond in the valley's hand," and one that is already a classic in my mind, "I wondered what it was I been looking for above / Heaven's so big there ain't no need to look up." However, it is the with the new song "Wolves" that you realize how great the new album will be. Hm, how to describe "Wolves?" Well, I'll just come out and say it: Personally, "Wolves" is my favorite song on the new album, and again at the risk of being melodramatic, it may be my favorite Josh Ritter song to date. It's a rock classic in the Springsteen tradition, from the piano intro to heavy rolling drums; from the simple, infectious sing-along chorus ("Sooo long! Sooo high!") to the great lyrics: "I still remember the time when we were dancing / We were dancing to a song that I'd heard / Your face was simple and your hands were naked / I was singing without knowing the words." "Wolves" is sure to be a crowd favorite; it's already mine. |
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| The new songs Josh has premiered in concert already all boast some of Josh's best songwriting. But they SOUND different than what many fans have grown accustomed to with a Josh Ritter song: It's the piano (rather than organ) that is featured more prominently and is threaded throughout, played beautifully by Sam Kassirer. Dave's drums are also WAY more upfront and extremely aggressive - especially on "Thin Blue Flame" and "Wolves." The guys are working in harmonies a lot more. Put that together with Josh on electric for these new songs, and we have a whole new sound for Josh that fans both old and new are going to love. |
| THE BAND'S SOUND: The new songs are being unfurled slowly but surely; premiered later that week at another show was the song "Best For the Best" (more on that later). But as you can tell from the setlist above, the fan faves are alive and well, and with new life. "Kathleen," "Snow is Gone," and "Me and Jiggs" are, as always, welcome hallmarks of a Josh Ritter show. |
| But even these have a new spin, as Josh and the band seem to be playing them with renewed vigor. "Golden Age of Radio" is another one that has new life: most of you know that this rocker of a song was recently slowed down in concert, and the result was a beautifully haunting ballad (this version can be heard on the new E.P. "Four Songs Live"). Josh and the band, I'm happy to announce, have made a wonderful artistic compromise: "Golden Age of Radio" is now being played in concert by opening with the ballad version (first verse and chorus), then kicks into the rocker version for the rest of the song. And the ending gets the pretty vocal howl from Josh heard in the ballad version. The result is a rollercoaster ride of a song that will please fans of both the "regular" and "slow" versions! "Bad Actress" continues to evolve as a loud, foot-stomping entry, and Josh has even opened a couple shows with this one recently. "Roll On" has Josh breaking out the electric guitar for a slightly different presentation, and "Anne" (from the album Golden Age of Radio) has had some dust blown off and made a welcome return to the setlist, featuring some nifty harmonizing by Josh, Sam, and Zack. |
| These new renditions of Josh's classics and fan faves - combined with the new songs and new sound - really signal something special for Josh's fans and the concerts to come... |
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| A preview... |
| On stage in Knoxville, TN, before My Morning Jacket. |
| Supporting Keane in Philly. |
| Taking the stage at Bonnaroo Music Festival. |
| June 2005 Entry > Introduction > Brooklyn > Philadelphia > Boston > New York > Pittsburgh > Knoxville > Bonnaroo |
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| Hop in the tour van, and come along.... |